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Creating an Allergy-Friendly Household

Prevention is always the best treatment for kids with severe allergies, and you can prevent most allergic reactions at home with some simple steps.

About one in five children has some type of allergy, and when your child is one of them, creating a safe home should top your priority list. But limiting exposure to allergy triggers at home can be challenging because allergic reactions can come from so many sources, including foods and environmental allergens such as dust, mold, and furry pets. And pollens that get into your home from the outdoors can add to the allergen assault your children might be facing.

The threat of allergic reactions is not to be taken lightly. Allergy emergencies at home include severe asthma attacks and anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. And because about 80 percent of kids with asthma also have allergies, a double dose of danger lurks.

Anaphylaxis is a sudden allergic reaction that can cause severe difficulty breathing and very low blood pressure. It's usually caused by a food allergy but can also be the result of bee stings or even medications. Asthma, a condition in which the airways narrow and swell, is a major cause of hospitalization in children and the leading cause of school absenteeism.

“The most effective ways to treat allergies are avoidance, immunotherapy involving allergy shots, and medications,” says Milind Pansare, MD, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit who specializes in the treatment of allergies and asthma.

Work closely with your child’s doctor to create an allergy action plan that includes treatments like daily or as-needed medications and regular allergy shots to control allergy triggers as well as steps to make your home as allergy-free as possible.

Preventing Environmental Allergies at Home

Dr. Pansare offers 10 tips to prevent environmental allergies that can also lead to asthma:

Make sure your child takes his or her allergy medications as directed and gets any shots as prescribed by your child's doctor.

Keep your child indoors and keep windows closed when the pollen count is high and on windy days.

Dust-proof your home, particularly your child's bedroom.

When possible, replace wall-to-wall carpeting, curtains, and down-filled blankets or pillows, all of which can harbor many allergens.

Wash bedding, curtains, and clothing often in hot water to eliminate dust mites.

Keep your car windows closed when driving to keep pollen outside.

Use a clothes dryer for all bedding and clothing you wash instead of hanging it outdoors on a clothesline, which can cause laundry to become coated with pollen.

Consider putting a dehumidifier in any damp area of your home to control mold and mildew, and remember to clean it often.

Have your child wear a face mask if playing outside when the pollen count is high.

If your child has seasonal allergies, prepare for them. Start your child’s allergy medications at least two to four weeks before the season begins.

The Pet Predicament and Bee Season

“There’s growing evidence that children who grow up in a home with pets, especially big dogs, have less allergies. But if your child does have a pet allergy, it’s important to know that there’s no such thing as a zero-allergy dog or cat,” says Mark Aronica, MD, an allergist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 62 percent of households have pets, and many are cats and dogs. In addition to the animal dander and saliva that can cause allergies at home, pet fur can pick up mold and pollen. Because of this, and because there's no such thing as a hypoallergenic pet, the best advice for someone with allergies is to not have a pet. But if you have one, the next best thing is to work with your child’s doctor on ways to reduce pet allergy.

A bee sting can be another cause of an allergy emergency at home. Insect stings are responsible for about 20 percent of anaphylactic allergic reactions. “Children who are allergic to insect venoms need to be educated about the danger," Dr. Aronica says. "If you see any stinging-insect nests around your house, spray them or have them treated and removed.”

Avoiding Food Allergies at Home

A 2011 study published in the journal Pediatrics collected food allergy data from more than 38,000 children in the United States and found that 8 percent had a food allergy. Among those kids, more than 30 percent have more than one food allergy and nearly 40 percent have had severe reactions. The most common food allergy was peanut, followed by milk and shellfish.

“The most important thing for parents to do is to read food labels," Aronica says. "Hidden sources of food allergies are common in prepared food." In addition, it's crucial that parents, the child, and any siblings all learn as much as they can about the food allergy to prevent problems from developing. For starters, visit Food Allergy Research & Education online.

“For severe food allergies, banning the particular food is best because it avoids mistakes and allergy emergencies,” Aronica says. This is the best plan when the allergy food is peanuts or shellfish, but what if the food is milk or a healthy vegetable that other members of the family can eat? In that case, here are tips to follow:

Teach every member of the house how to read food labels.

Have all family members wash their hands before and after meals.

Avoid cross-contamination by scrubbing down counters and cutting boards after food preparation.

Store the food your child is allergic to in a different area from “safe” foods, and label foods as safe or not safe.

Use different plates, utensils, measuring cups, pots, and pans for allergy-safe and allergy-danger foods.

Eat only in the kitchen or dining area and keep other areas of the house as food-allergy-safe zones.

Keep your child away from the kitchen when you’re cooking with any food allergens — allergens can get up into the air when your cooking, risking exposure to your child if nearby.

Prevention is the best treatment for any allergy, and especially for severe allergies. Learn as much as you can about your child’s allergies, teach your child and other family members about allergies at home, and work with your child’s doctor on an allergy prevention and action plan.

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